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Grand National Facts & Figures

The Grand National is not only the most famous and prestigious horse race in the world, it's also one of the highlights of the entire sporting year.

The horse race captures the imagination of millions and consistently produces thrilling finishes and heart-warming stories as horse and rider try to conquer the mighty Aintree fences.

As well as taking advantage of all the Grand National free bets that bookmakers are currently offering to new customers, you could add even more excitement to the event by running a Grand National Sweepstake at your place of work or down your local pub.

Interesting Facts & Figures for the National

• The first Grand National was run on Tuesday, February 26, 1839.
• The course is four miles 856yds long.
• There are 30 fences - 16 on the first circuit, 14 on the second.
• The biggest field occurred in 1929 when 66 runners faced the starters.
• The smallest field was in 1883 when just 10 faced the starter.
• Red Rum is the most successful horse, having won the Grand National three times: 1973, 1974 and 1977.
• The 1997 Grand National, which was won by Lord Gyllene, was the 150th running of the race at Aintree.
• Since 1968 horses starting at 16/1 or under have won 27 times.
• No horse has run in the Grand National more times than Manifesto, who competed in eight and won twice.
• Nine-year-olds have the best record, having won 34 times since 1900.
• Jenny Pitman is the only woman to have trained a Grand National winner with Corbiere in 1983.
• The greatest number of horses to finish was 23 in 1984. Hallo Dandy was the winner.
• The least number of horses to complete was two in 1928, Tipperary Tim and Billy Barton.
• Bruce Hobbs, aged 17, was the youngest winning jockey on Battleship in 1938.
• Dick Saunders, aged 48, was the oldest successful rider on Grittar in 1982.
• Mr Frisk's time of 8m 47.8s in 1990 is a record for the Grand National.
• The fence-building programme at Aintree starts approximately a month before the start of the race.
• The Grand National is a rare major sporting event in which amateurs can and do take on professionals.
• Two Russian horses, Reljef and Grifel, competed in the 1961 Grand National, but neither finished.
• The Chair is the tallest fence on the Grand National course at 5ft 2ins. It has a six-foot ditch.
• The Prince of Wales, later to become King Edward VII, owned the 1900 Grand National winner, Ambush II.
• In 1998 Earth Summit became the first winner of the Martell Cognac Grand National.
• Bobbyjo in 1999 became the first Irish-trained winner of the Martell Cognac Grand National since 1975.
• Another winner from across the Irish Sea came in 2000 when Papillon won for Ted and Ruby Walsh.